Respiratory cuirass



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Feb. 13, 1968 H. GLASCOCK 3,368,550

RESPIRATORY CUIRASS Filed April 26, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 'vvE/vroe..Hem/ GL/Jscocz A? r Toen/E Ys United States Patent O 3,368,550RESPIRATORY CUIRASS Harry Glascock, Los Angeles, Calif. (620 E. DyerRoad, Santa Ana, Calif. 92705) Filed Apr. 26, 1965, Ser. No. 450,850

4 Claims. (Cl. 12S- 2) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A relatively rigidone-piece respiratory cuirass provides at upper and lower ends spacedbody encircling openings. Disposable iiexible skirts 22 and 23 cooperatewith the cuirass to define a sealed space to which positive and negativepressure may be applied as by the aid of a connector 12. The cuirass 10is substantially transparent to X-rays, an-d the connector 12 is locatedat the side whereby the cuirass is adapted for use in cineiluorography.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to medicalappliances, and particularly to a cuirass adapted substantially to sealabout the thoracic cage whereby external pneumatic positive and negativepressures may be applied.

Methods for early diagnosis and treatment of emphysema, asthma, andcardiovascular diseases are being constantly improved. Currently,cinefluorography has been used not only for diagnosis, but also foraccurate control of corrective therapy. Such methods require assistedfull deep breathing which usually is beyond the normal capacity of thepatient. The external pneumatic positive and negative pressures may beof the order of from 10 to 55 centimeters of water.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved cuirassespecially adapted for use in conjunction with cineiluorographicmethods. For this purpose, the cuirass is made in such manner as to havemaximum transparency to X-rays. Thus the cuirass is made as a unitarymolded plastic shell, with connectors for the pneumatic power unitlocated at the sides rather than at the front. Also, the cuirass is sodesigned that it may be sealed to the bod-y of the patient by meanslocated beyond the normal fluoroscope field. Furthermore, the cuirass isso designed that it may be relatively comfortably used while thepatient' is sitting, standing, supine, or prone. These positions may yberequired in carrying out the -cineiluorographic methods.

In order to lprovide a cuirass capable of such versatile use withoutdiscomfort, the cuirass itself extends only from beneath the armpits,and a seal about the neck and the arms is not necessary. This materiallyenhances the mobility of the patients head and arms. This may becontrasted with prior devices which materially restrict the movement ofthe patient, particularly his chin when the patient is supine. I havefound that this tubular structure does not in any manner detract fromthe efficient application of positive and negative pressures, apparentlybecause the upper thoracic region is relatively inflexible, and does notneed to be included within the sealed space. It is the lower thoracicarea, particularly at the region of the upper abdomen, that is liexibleand primarily responsive to the variations inexternal pressure.

A companion object of this invention is to provide a cuirass of thischaracter that is quite easily sealed. Thus the cuirass, beingessentially tubular, has but two large accessible openings that areeasily sealed.

Cuirasses of this character are often used by out patients. Priordevices usually required the assistance of a nurse to install, andusually resulted in the patients being 3,368,550 Patented Feb. 13, 1968Another object of this invention is to provide a cuirass of thischaracter that is capable of sanitary use. For this purpose, the cuirassitself may be sterilized, and the sealing elements or skirts used withthem may be made as disposable film plastic.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cuirass that islightweight and readily portable.

This invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objectswhich may be made more clearly apparent from a consideration of severalembodiments of the invention. For this purpose, there are shown a fewforms in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the presentspecification, and which drawings are true scale. These forms will n-owbe described in detail, illustrating the general principles of theinvention; but it is to be understood that this detailed description isnot to be taken in a limiting sense, since the scope of the invention isbest defined by the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE l is a front elevational viewof a cuirass incorporating this invention in place upon the body of thepatient;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational View thereof;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along a planetransverse to the cuirass and corresponding to line 3--3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the planecorresponding to line 4 4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along a planeextending longitudinally of the cuirass and corresponding to line 5k5 ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an elevational view similar to FIG. 1, but illustrating howsome of the parts may be preassembled and placed as a unit on the bodyof the patient;

FIG. 7 is an exploded view illustrating the components of the cuirassassembly; and

FIG. 8 is a pictorial View of an alternate skirt element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In FIG. 1, there is illustrated a cuirass 10` thatis shown in place upon the body of the patient, the cuirass encompassingthe lower thoracic region.

The cuirass 10 is in the form of a tubular shell, and preferably is madein one piece by drawing fluid, irnpervious plastic material, such asPlexiglas. This mate- -rial is substantially transparent to X-rays, andin the form of a tubular shell, s sufficiently rigid to hold its shapewhen subjected to positive and negative pneumatic pressures of the orderlof 50 centimeters of water.

The cuirass, as shown in FIG. 3, is gently curved at the back portion,and as indicated at 10A, so as to be sufficiently iiat to allowsubstantial conformance to the back of a chair, for example, while yetretaining the requisite curvature to provide the strengthcharacteristics of a shell. The frontal portion 10B is curved in a morepronounced manner and allows sufficient space for body movements. Thesides 10C and 10D of the cuirass are curved smoothly to join the frontalportion 10B with the back portion 10A to maintain the shellconfiguration.

The cuirass is adapted to form a chamber sealed about the area of thelower rib cage of the patient for application of positive and negativepressures from a power unit (not shown). The power unit is connected tothe chamber defined by the cuirass by the aid of a flexible hose 11(FIGS. 1 3). This hose carries a connector 12 (FIG. 3) that has aslightly reduced extension 13. Two locking lugs 14 extend ondiametrically opposite sides of the very end of the extension 13. Theextension may be inserted into an aperture 15 at the side wall 10C, orinto an aperture 16 at the other side wall 10D of the cuirass. In thepresent instance, the connector 12 is shown installed at the aperture16.

This aperture 16 has diametrically located notches 17 (FIG. 4) thatpermit the lugs, when aligned, to pass through. By turning the connector12 after the lugs have passed through the notches 17, the connector 12is locked in place. A sealing ring 18 (FIG. 3) tits on the extension 13and seals about the aperture 16. A baffle plate 19 is mounted on theinside ofthe aperture to ensure continuous communication between theinterior chamber and the hose 11.

The aperture 1S provides for optional installation of the hose 11, andis formed in the same manner as the aperture 16. A baiiie plate 20 isprovided at the aperture 15. In the present instance, the aperture 1S isclosed by a detachable plug 21.

Since the connector 12 is installed at the side rather than at the frontof the cuirass 10, the crucial field for cinefluorography isunobstructed.

The chamber defined by the cuirass 10 must, of course, be fairly wellsealed about the body of the patient. For this purpose, sealing skirts22 and 23 (see, also, FIGS. 5 and 7) are provided. These skirts aretubular, and made of pliable, conformable, impervious material, such aspolyethylene film. The skirts must have sufficient strength to withstandpressures of the order 50 centimeters of water. The skirt 22 ispartially telescoped over the upper end of the cuirass 10, and the skirt23 is partially telescoped over the lower end of the cuirass.

Elastic straps or bands 24 and 2S respectively clamp and seal thetelescoping portions of the skirts 22 and 23 to the upper and lower endsof the cuirass. These bands 24 and 2S are made preferably of surgicalrubber, capable of being sterilized by conventional hospital techniqueswithout deterioration. The bands simply surround the cuirass and theskirts, and their ends are fastened together to hold the bands intension, appropriately to exert clamping pressure on the skirts 22 and23. For this purpose, companion Velcro fastener elements 26 and 27 areprovided for the band 24, and similar fastener elements 28 and 29 Iareprovided for the band 25.

In order to secure the telescopic connection of the skirts to thecuirass, the upper and lower ends of the cuirass are provided with beadsor iianges 30 and 31 (FIG. 5) to confine the bands 24 and 25 on thecuirass.

The free ends of the skirts 22 and 23 are similarly clamped to the bodyof the patient, as by the aid of elastic bands 32 and 33 that areidentical to the bands 24 and 25. These bands 32 and 33, as shown inFIG. 5, are held in a slightly tensioned relationship by the fastenersat their ends, thus providing a suitable seal to the body of thepatient.

To facilitate placement of the cuirass on the body, the skirts 22 and 23are preassembled with the cuirass 10 by the aid of the bands 24 and 25.The patient either steps into the preassembled cuirass and skirts andlifts it into position, or passes it downwardly over his arms and head.When `the cuirass is in position, the bands or straps 32 and 33 arefinally installed.

The skirts 22 and 23 may take different forms. For example, in FIG. 8,there is illustrated a length of plastic film 34 vthat may be Wrappedabout the cuirass and the body. Two such elements 34 would be providedin place 7 of the skirts 22 and 23. With sufficient turns in theelements 34, the elastic straps might not be needed, especially if theends of the elements can be tucked under a patient when he is in asupine position.

The skirts 22 and 23 or the elements 34 can be simply discarded afteruse in the interests of sterile procedures. The bands and the cuirass 10can readily be sterilized.

I claim:

1. In a medical appliance for use in cineuorography or the like: arelatively one-piece tubular cuirass made of plastic material that issubstantially transparent to X-rays, all operative wall parts of saidcuirass being fixed relative to each other, said cuirass having edgesforming two and only two body encircling openings, namely an upperopening and a lower opening; said openings being substantially of equalsize and being substantially aligned; said cuirass being designed toencompass the body of a patient at the thoracic region and to form apneumatic pressure chamber thereabout with the front and rear wallsthereof spaced closer together than the side walls thereof; said cuirasshaving an access aperture at one side wall for connection to a source ofpneumatic pressure; the front and rear walls of said cuirass beingimpervious; and means at the said upper and lower openings forestablishing a seal between said openings and the body of the wearerincluding relatively iiexible upper and lower skirts formingsubstantially sealed extensions of the cuirass at said upper and loweropenings respectively, and with the free end of said skirts adapted tobe sealed against the body of the patient.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said cuirass has asecond aperture at the side opposite said first aperture for alternateconnection to a source of pneumatic pressure; and a plug for one of theapertures.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said skirts comprisetubular film elements of uniform diameter partially telescoped over theupper and lower openings of said tubular cuirass; a first pair of atleast partially elastic straps securing skirts in position about thecuirass; and a second pair of at least partially elastic strapsconstricting the free ends of the skirts against the body of thepatient.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said seal meanscomprises relatively flexible upper and lower skirts formingsubstantially sealed extensions of the cuirass at said upper and loweropenings respectively; said upper and lower skirts comprising strips ofimpervious plastic film material having a length suliicient to wrap morethan once about the openings of the cuirass.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,079,952 5/ 1937 Sahlin 12S-30.22,309,361 1/1943 Terhaar 12S-30.2 2,480,980 9/ 1949 Terhaar 12S-30.22,490,395 12/1949 Wilm 12S-30.2 2,629,372 2/1953 Wallin 12S-30.22,707,948 5/ 1955 Emerson 12S-430.2 2,833,275 5/ 1958 Tunniclife 12S-30.2 3,075,521 1/1963 Grassl 128-75 3,190,444 6/ 1965 Kelson 206-63.2

FOREIGN PATENTS 527,744 10/ 1940 Great Britain.

OTHER REFERENCES J. D. Stratton, Plastics, January 1946, pp. 29-32, 121-122.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

K. L. HOWELL, Assistant Examiner.

